Architectural columns have long been used for structural support, aesthetic qualities, and artistic purposes. Architecturally correct columns have traditionally assumed a number of different forms. More specifically, traditional architectural columns have been made from wood, steel, concrete, or molded polymers. Recent developments in material processing have led to the use of fiber-reinforced composite materials in the formation of architectural columns. Conventional fiber-reinforced columns are made by a filament-winding process in which a band of fibers or filaments is wound around a rotating mandrel in a helical winding pattern and then cured to produce a structural column. In the helical winding process, the mandrel rotates while a fiber feed carriage traverses back and forth at a speed regulated to generate the desired helical angles. Since fibers provide the greatest compressive strength when oriented in the direction of the load, the helical winding pattern is manipulated to position the fibers as close to parallel with the longitudinal axis of the column as possible.
Unfortunately, using helical winding methods for the production of architectural columns is limited by a number of drawbacks. First, the glass fibers become very slippery when they are impregnated with wet resin. Consequently, the helical winding process mandates that the fibers be wound over the entire length of the mandrel to prevent the fibers from slipping or otherwise moving when winding relatively low angles. Second, by winding the fibers the entire length of the mandrel and around the end of the mandrel, the fiber material may sag between the impregnator and the pay-out eye as the fiber material is traversed back across the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. This sag often varies the orientation of the fibers laid down on the mandrel, thereby leading to lower strength and a rougher surface finish.
Additionally, the formation of architectural columns using helical winding methods produces significant amounts of wasted fiber and resin material. More specifically, the fiber material used in helical winding methods is wound around the ends of the mandrel In order to keep the fiber material on the mandrel secured at a low angle. Consequently, the entire length of the mandrel must be used, even if a shorter column length is desired. As a result, significant amounts of fiber material must then be removed from the formed column to achieve the desired size. Additionally, removal of the resulting helical wound column necessitates that the fiber material domes formed at the ends of the mandrel be cut off, thereby adding additional processing steps, increasing material waste, and increasing processing time and costs to the formation of the architectural column.